I’m running a contest for the readers in the Whipped Cream Chat group where I’m chatting on 8/29 at noon ET. It’s very simple – name my hero!

The hero is a panther shifter and former Marine; the heroine is a witch who is not looking for a man, black cat or not. Her name is Anastacia.

Give me a good, strong name for the hero and I’ll use it in my book! I’ll use Random.org to choose a winner. Assuming my editor approves of the name, you’ll get a free copy of that book upon release.

And in the meantime, you’ll win a copy of Maui Rekindled!

The contest closes at 6 pm PT Monday, 8/30/ Leave a comment with the hero’s name and check back Tuesday morning to see if you won!

I’ve always been a summer person. SoCal sunshine, birthday in July, school’s out – what’s not to love about summer?

So it seemed a perfect idea to write about vacation romance. There’s something especially exciting about it. You’re in a new, exciting location and there’s a certain glow about you. And the men, oh, the men! Accents, tans, and if you’re lucky, bare skin and lots of it.

My first taste of vacation romance came in Hawaii. He was blond-haired, blue-eyed and built like a wedge. My girlfriend and I called him Hawaiian Mike. I never saw him again after, except in my dreams, but he fueled a lot of young fantasies!

How about you? Do you have a favorite hero from your vacations? If you had the chance, would you follow through on a vacation romance?

In Maui Rekindled, Maggie returns to the resort where she spent a summer working and playing alongside hot hero Gabe. Looking for confidence after her divorce, when she sees Gabe again she decides to have a vacation fling, a little harmless sex between old friends.

Gabe has other ideas. He’s always regretted losing contact with Maggie and isn’t about to let her get away this time. He’ll take advantage of the hot, sensual moments to remind her that they shared something much deeper than sex. You can read an excerpt here.

I’m giving away a free copy of the ebook, Maui Rekindled! Comment here for your chance to win. Winner will be chosen from comments on Sunday April 25.

Maui Rekindled is available now at Ellora’s Cave!

In celebration of my return to my paranormal roots, I’m offering a free short-short story. Skyclad Whispers introduces the village of Whispering Valley, a quaint, timeless place where the inhabitants aren’t always what they appear to be. If you enjoy the read, post a comment and let me know!

It’s what we read romance for, isn’t it? Knowing the couple overcomes everything thrown in front of them and succeeds in life-long commitment. If we love the happy ending so much, how come more of us don’t succeed?

I came across Teresa Medieros’s A Romance Writer’s Guide to Happy Marriage and didn’t have to read past #1, “Lower your expectations and accept responsibility for your own happiness.”

That’s the key, right there. We want our partner to know when we need a hug, when we need to be taken out to dinner. We get upset when they continue to stare at the TV or video game instead of meeting our needs.

As you’ve read a million times, men’s brains are wired differently. They need to be taught to read the signals. It’s your job to teach your guy how to make you happy. Period.

Our romance heroes have magical powers to do the right thing at exactly the right time to melt the heroine’s heart. I’m sure there are men like that out there; I’ve dated a few who pulled the rabbit out of the hat just when I was trying to find a nice way to dump them. (No, the rabbit wasn’t enough to save the relationship, but it lead to loads of guilty feelings after the fact!) But the average guy would be happy to please you if you only knew how.

To find your happily ever after you must do two things. First, figure out what will make you happy. Second, make sure that it happens. Don’t wait for the man who will offer it spontaneously. Let him know what you need at the start and if he can’t give it to you, and you can’t be happy without it, keep looking.

And while you’re looking, be sure you treat yourself to whatever makes you happy.

Kate Douglas’s story, Best Friends Forever is one of the fundraiser stories at Ellora’s Cave for the family of Lara Punches. Here’s the blurb:

As children, Kefira, the first child born of a human woman and Miratan lion male, and Tad Barton, human son of Earth’s World Federation’s president, swore to be best friends forever. But their relationship did not survive turbulence and misunderstanding. Now though, held prisoner aboard a ship traveling between worlds, they must put aside their animosity and work together in order to overcome their captors. Their only chance of survival depends on a complete subjugation of will, sharing body and soul in the most intimate of links that will bare secrets Kefira and Tad have spent a lifetime hiding. In this final chapter of the StarQuest saga, will they uncover the ultimate betrayal, or a love with the power to bring worlds together?

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You can purchase the story and contribute to the fund by clicking on the title link.